Category Archives: Arts & Entertainment

The Oswego Music Hall welcomes the always popular Philadelphia-based father and son duo, Beaucoup Blue, plus Carolann Solebello, perhaps most familiar to folk audiences as a founding member of the female trio Red Molly, to the hall at 8 p.m. Feb. 8.

Beaucoup Blue’s David and Adrian Mowry have wowed Oswego Music Hall audiences several times before. From blues to bluegrass, their soulful tradition and contemporary styles mesh into an innovative and authentic sound.

They pretty much cover the full range of “Americana” quite uniquely in their song writing and how they choose to represent classic material.

During their years together as a duo, they have received numerous awards, including “Grand Prize Winner of Billboard Magazine World Song-Writing Contest,” and the “Grand Prize Winner of the Terruride Blues & Brew Acoustic Competition.” Their two soulful voices and slide guitar virtuosity are simply wonderful to behold in a live performance.

David and Adrian Mowry have been playing at top folk music venues for a long time. Last September, the album “Live at Caffé Lena: Music From America’s Legendary Coffeehouse, 1967 -2013” was released.

This piece of “Folk Music Heaven” includes songs by Beaucoup Blue from its 2008 concert at Lena, along with 60s greats like Pete Seeger and present day singers like Sara Lee Guthrie (Arlo’s daughter).

Carolann Solebello returned to solo performance in August 2010 after six years with the Red Molly band. She toured nationally and recorded three full-length CDs with that trio.

On her own, Carolann has recorded four CDs, including 2013’s Steel and Salt, and is carving out a rich and varied career as a singer-songwriter.

Carolann is the winner of the 2011 Susquehanna Music & Arts Festival Songwriting Competition, and was an Official Showcase Artist at Folk Alliance International and the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance in 2012.

A New York City native, Carolann first fell in love with mountain music – and the bluegrass and country that grew out of that tradition – while working as an actor in East Tennessee and Kansas. Tunes and techniques she learned from musicians in both places fundamentally changed her approach to songwriting and guitar playing, and subsequently colored her work with Red Molly.

The venue is the McCrobie Civic Center, 41 Lake Street, Oswego. Desserts, snacks, popcorn and beverages are available for purchase. Tickets can be purchased online at http://oswegomusichall.org/ or at the River’s End bookstore, 19 W. Bridge St., Oswego. Holders of tickets purchased before 1 p.m. the day of the concert will have preferred seating. After 1 p.m., seating is general admission. Tickets are $14 if purchased in advance and $16 at the door. Children 12 and under are half-price; under 5 is free.

The Feb. 21 performance is at 7:30 p.m. and the Feb. 23 show is at 2 p.m.

In Guiseppe Verdi’s first true masterpiece, Rigoletto, the original setting is Mantua, Italy in the 16th Century, where the main characters are the Duke of Mantua (chauvinist and all-around bad boy), his court jester Rigoletto, the jester’s angelic daughter (way too innocent and naïve), an assassin for hire and his sister.

Rigoletto has been a favorite with audiences all over the world since it first hit the stage in 1851.

He is a notorious womanizer, and for fun disguises himself as a poor SUNY Oswego student to romance the college girls.

Tickets are $25 for regular price admission, $20 for seniors and faculty/staff of all educational institutions in the region, and $5 for all students. Tickets are available at the SUNY Oswego Box Office at 312-2141 or online at tickets.edu.

Snowy Day Word Play is the latest class for young writers being offered by the Fulton Public Library.

The program will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. daily Feb. 17 through Feb. 21 at the library.

For youth ages 8 through 13, the week-long program will feature fun and engaging activities for those who love to write and want to improve their skills.

Instructors for the class are Karen Burke and Jim Farfaglia. Burke is a former teacher from the Oswego City School District and Farfaglia is retired from the Oswego City-County Youth Bureau.

Both have spent recent years developing their own writing as well as sharing their ideas with others by leading classes.

“We are happy to have Karen and Jim back to provide programming for young writers,” says Betty Mauté, Fulton Public Library director.

“This program is funded by the sale of the Fulton Memoirs Project Book, a collection of stories about Fulton by 41 local authors, available for purchase at the library,” she said.

“Writing, teaching and working with young people is a winning trio for me,” Burke said. “I’m excited about the opportunity to spark interest in young writers and to enjoy the enthusiasm that young people bring to a new experience.”

“It is always a pleasure to work with young people who love to write,” Farfaglia said. “Karen and I are planning an interactive program, with lots of activities to stir creative minds and inspire good writing. The children will explore our winter world through writing with a week’s worth of fun, adventuresome and delicious activities!”

Seating is limited. There is no fee, however, registration is required by calling 592-5159.

The Oswego Lions Club presents “Roar with Laughter” with headline comedian Moody McCarthy, and warm up Dan Mahoney, Friday Jan. 31 at The American Foundry, 246 W. Seneca St., Oswego.

Doors open at 7 p.m. show begins at 8 p.m.

“We continue a Lions Club tradition once again this year with a great night of laughs, said Mike Henderson, Oswego Lions Club president. “This event has always been a popular fund-raiser and we anticipate that this will be another great one”.

The event is a major fundraiser for the local service organization, erving to support ongoing programs and services throughout the Oswego community for the visually and hearing impaired.

Proceeds from the past fund-raising events have helped to support Make-a-Wish Foundation, Oswego Salvation Army, The ER’s Children Fund at Oswego Hospital, Oswego Library Capital Campaign, The Children’s Hospital in Syracuse, and Habitat for Humanity, to name just a few.

This year, the adult-themed comedy night will show case Moody McCarthy..

McCarthy is a stand-up comedian who has performed on Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel, Last Comic Standing and Star Search. He lives in New York City with his wife and step-dog.

Moody began his career in his hometown of Syracuse in the 1990s. After six years Moody moved to New York City, where those who heard his jokes predicted he’d be courted by A-list producers as a writer.

After 20+ years honing his craft, Moody has steadily gained the respect of his peers and audiences everywhere. With unpredictable material, a disarming presence, and in-the-moment chops, here is a comic who thrives in any venue and will brighten any event.

Moody has also appeared on ComedyTV, The Early Show, The Bob & Tom Show, MSG Network, Style Network, Comcast Comedy Spotlight and CTV in Canada.

McCarthy has also appeared in many clubs such as the Comic Strip; Gotham; Dangerfields; Eastville, Hilarities; Helium; Absolute Comedy and Royal Caribbean.

Moody is a member of SAG/AFTRA and trained at Joanna Beckson’s Acting Studio. He has performed comedy in China and now speaks 3 words of Mandarin.

The warm-up act for Moody McCarthy is Dan Mahoney. In his youth, on one of his countless visits to the principal’s office, he was asked, “Mr. Mahoney….you’re back here again? Do you think you’re some kind of comedian?”

Dan Mahoney lives each day to answer that question with a resounding “YES”.

He was a Regional Finalist in Comedy Central’s Open Mic Fight in 2009, in 2010 he was selected for the Purina Pet Comedy Challenge, was a semifinalist in the 2011 Boston Comedy Festival and a finalist in the 2012 Boston Comedy Festival NYC Showcase in August.

Dan has survived drinking, dating, corporate life and cancer. He discusses these life experiences on stage at times through his unique brand of steady-paced, deliberate observations.

He lives between NYC and his hometown of Buffalo. In 2013, he produced a weekly comedy show in the east village of Manhattan that had a three-year run.

He was a finalist in New York Underground and Boston Comedy Festivals, and is a veteran of clubs and corporate stages all over the country and Canada.

“The performances of McCarthy and Mahoney promise to bring the crowd a good hour of laughs,” said Chris Pelton, chairperson of the event.

Tickets will be available at the door the night of the event, or can be purchased prior to the show at Cakes Galore for $12.

Anyone interested in purchasing tickets or looking for more information about the show can call Pelton at 343-1394 or visit our facebook page at www.facebook.com/oswegolionsclub

The Lions Club will provide light complimentary appetizers, and a cash bar will also be available by the American Foundry.

The Lions Club has made available to local businesses and the public, an opportunity to purchase a reserved table. The table includes reserved seating for 10 people and recognition in our press releases and the night of the show.

Celebrate Groundhog Day at the Amboy 4-H Environmental Education Center, Route 183 in eastern Oswego County by snowshoeing in search of Amboy Annie, the center’s resident woodchuck.

The event is at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 2. Perhaps Amboy Annie can help determine if spring will arrive early or late. Participants are encouraged to dress warmly and in layers. Outdoor footwear, winter boots that can be strapped into a snowshoe, should be worn. Sneakers and fashion boots with heels will not work. Snowshoes are free of charge. There is a program fee of $3 per person or $12 per family. Children under 3 are free.

Valentine’s Day falls on a romantic Friday this year, so come celebrate with CNY Arts Center as we host a dinner theater Feb. 14 followed by two nights of desserts.

Tickets for Friday night are $25/person and are available on line or at ARTs in the HeART Gallery, South First Street, Fulton.

The dinner will feature a pasta bar with various sauces, pastas and toppings, including vegetarian and gluten-free selections. Joshua Lamb, our cook from the December Cabaret dinner, will prepare the meal.

The production is “Searching for Eden: the Diaries of Adam and Eve,” a romantic comedy by James Still. CNY Arts Center will offer hand-made valentines available for pick up at the door or at the gallery. Customize your valentines by ordering on-line at www.cnyartscenter.com.

CNY Arts Center continues its capital campaign to raise money to acquire the former Rite Aid building on Route 481 in Fulton.

Classes in various art forms and writing are offered regularly at the CNY Art Center in the basement of the Methodist Church on the corner of State and Park Streets.

The exhibition, running concurrently through March 1 with a display titled “Recollection: A Memory Loss Awareness Project,” will open from 5 to 7 p.m. Jan. 31 in Tyler Hall with a free public reception featuring the student artists.

The Juried Student Exhibition welcomed 150 submissions from undergraduates around campus, and 62 were selected for the show, said Michael Flanagan, director of Tyler Art Gallery.

Serving as jurors for this exhibition were Michelle Roberts of Rochester, a 2006 Oswego alumna and owner of Michelle Roberts Design and Novus Creative, and Peter Valenti of Syracuse, a 1983 alumnus, teacher and developer of the ceramics program at East Syracuse Minoa High School, co-founder and president of the Independent Potters Association and director of the high school ceramics exhibition Central New York Feats of Clay.

In addition to “Recollection” and the juried student exhibition opening that night, the “Guerrilla Gorilla Grad Art Exhibition” will display recent work of SUNY Oswego students in master’s-related art programs from 5 to 7 p.m. on Jan. 31 in the Student Gallery, Room 21 of Tyler Hall.

Tyler Art Gallery is open 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays when college is in session.

Parking for Tyler Art Gallery patrons without a current SUNY Oswego parking permit is $1. For more information, visit oswego.edu/administration/parking. Parking is available in the employee and commuter lots east of Culkin Hall, the college’s seven-story main administration building.